Sunday, November 16, 2014

Patriots still wary of old foe Reggie Wayne

BY NICK ST. DENIS

The New England Patriots will be up against an old foe in receiver Reggie Wayne when they take on the Indianapolis Colts Sunday night.

Now in his 14th year, Wayne has been relegated primarily to the slot, though the Colts still use him on the perimeter when needed. Patriots coach Bill Belichick knows that no matter where the veteran pass-catcher is, he's still a threat.

"Yeah, he’s still really good at everything," Belichick said last week, via CSNNE.com. "[He’s] obviously a real smart and experienced guy. Knows how to set up routes, make all of his routes look the same.

"[He] does a great job of releasing, and then at the top of his routes being able to create separation at just the right time when the quarterback is ready to throw."

Wayne has seen the second-most targets on the team and has hauled in 42 receptions for 504 yards and two touchdowns.

"He’s been a key guy for them in critical situations and third down-type situations," Belichick said. "I’m sure that there’s a lot of confidence that he’s going to be open and he usually is."